This Phillies sports fan knows bad. He says fans have little to complain about
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Photo: Courtesy of Patrick Malloy
Patrick "Maniac" Malloy remembers the lean years, when fans went to the old Veterans Stadium less to watch the Phillies lose and more to catch players for autographs as they headed to their cars.
Why it matters: The Parx Casino sports gambling influencer is playing the reverse Uno card on curmudgeonly fans upset about paying steep prices to watch their team on Opening Day.
State of play: Phillies fans have been spoiled during the team's recent run, including four straight playoff berths and a trip to the World Series.
- Malloy's message: Soak it in. Good times don't last forever — a lesson he took from his late father.
What they're saying: "He used to always tell me, 'You better really enjoy this … because once it's gone, it's hard.'"
Flashback: Malloy grew up on some dreadful Phillies teams in the 1990s, when 70 wins felt out of reach, and Veterans Stadium's "puke-green" turf and beer-soaked concourses were part of the experience.
- Back then, former ace pitcher Curt Schilling was usually the team's only hope of a rare win.
- Fans lingered after losses, hoping to snag autographs from players in the parking lot.
"Scott Rolen would never stop to sign autographs," Malloy says of the former third baseman. "He was the worst."
Zoom in: These days, Malloy is channeling that fandom into Phillies-focused content for Parx — from man-on-the-street interviews to riffs on the best Phillies names to say in Philly's patented hoagiemouth accent.
- He's also got a couple of early-season parlays for bettors.
Over 89.5 wins: The Phils have won at least 90 games in each of the last three seasons.
- Bryce Harper: "I've even been caught in a group text or two saying, 'Man, he looks like he might be cooked.'"
Yes, but: Malloy's betting on 30+ home runs for Harper.
Malloy's last "bet" is more of an ask: Millions of smiling souls at the end of 2026.
- "We got one more push, or hopefully one or two left in us. So let's try to get this over the finish line."